Rendell slashes Pa. spending

In order to account for the lack of revenue from legalized table games, Governor Rendell has slashed state funding for some medical centers, museums and educational institutions by 50%.

In order to account for the lack of revenue from legalized table games, Governor Rendell has slashed state funding for some medical centers, museums and educational institutions by 50%.

Listen:
[audio: 091218sdcuts.mp3]

The funding reduction is bad news for the Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic, which was counting on 26,000 dollars in state aid.

Heather Wilson is the Director of Major Gifts for Lancaster General Health Foundation, which runs the clinic. She says the organization needs every dollar it can get, since it often treats patients who can’t afford their bills.

Wilson: For each child that is on Medicaid or a Department of Health payment we take a significant loss for each of those children. And the money from the state helps us to ensure that we remain the safety net to ensure comprehensive craniofacial team services.

State funding accounts for ten percent of the clinic’s annual budget.

Rendell also cut funding for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the Children’s Institute in Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia’s Fox Chase Institute for Cancer Research, among other operations.

State-related universities were exempt from the cuts, since a funding reduction would have barred them from receiving federal stimulus dollars.